Govt advises use of neem-based spray to prevent locust attack
Bhubaneswar: In the wake of the locust invasion in Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, agriculture minister Arun Kumar Sahoo on Wednesday appealed to farmers here to take precautions against the crop-eating insects.
“We anticipate that the locusts may come to Odisha. But there is no reason to panic as the state government and the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) have already issued an advisory to prevent an attack,” the minister said.
The desert locust, which belongs to the family of short-horned grasshoppers, is largely found in East Africa. “These insects eat crops and the green part of trees. The abundant rainfall in East Africa has helped them breed and multiply. These insects have entered Iran, Pakistan and now India. Swarms of locusts have invaded Madhya Pradesh. We apprehend they may come to Odisha,” Sahoo said.
He further said Odisha had not witnessed a locust attack in the past several years. “We hope that the swarms of locusts don’t enter the state. But we should be prepared for any eventuality,” he added.
Sahoo advised the farmers to spray 200 litres of a solution of five per cent neem seed kernel extract (5% NSKE) per acre of land during the afternoon to prevent attacks from these insects. They can also prepare a solution by adding 300PPM neem insecticide in 200 litres of water and spray it on the crop, he explained.
The OUAT has also issued an advisory to farmers in this regard. Apart from the neem-based treatment method, it has asked farmers to beat tin cans to drive the locusts away. They can also keep the locusts at bay by wielding branches full of thorns, it added.
“Farmers can spread polythene sheets under trees housing locusts during the evening and shake them hard so that the insects fall on the sheets. Collect these locusts and put them in water mixed with kerosene to kill them,” read the OUAT advisory.